Unaccompanied Alien Children Sponsor Application Packet
Revision of a currently approved collection
No
Emergency
11/06/2026
11/05/2026
table that charts list comparision
Requested
Previously Approved
6 Months From Approved
02/28/2029
697,301
697,301
608,319
608,319
0
0
The Administration for Children and Families (ACF) requests emergency review and approval of this information collection by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), as authorized under 5 CFR 1320.13. The proposed revisions to the Authorization for Release of Information (Form SAP-2) and Sponsor Application (Form SAP-3) align the PDF and digital sponsor applications used by the Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR). Under the October 30, 2026, court order in Angelica S. v. HHS, ORR must make the OMB-approved PDF application available as the exclusive sponsorship application if OMB has not approved the online application by November 30, 2026.
The information collected is essential to the mission of the agency. Childrenâs safety and well-being are central to the sponsorship process. ORR must obtain sufficient information to evaluate prospective sponsors, assess household conditions, identify potential safety concerns, and support safe and timely placement decisions. The revised forms organize this information and related conditional follow-up questions to support consistent collection and review throughout the sponsorship process.
The use of normal PRA clearance procedures is reasonably likely to delay approval beyond November 30, 2026, and disrupt information collection by requiring ORR to transition to exclusive use of the approved PDF application. This transition will likely substantially increase manual processing of sponsor applications by Federal staff, draw out the sponsorship process by requiring Federal staff to read out and have sponsors respond to lengthy interviews through Sponsor Assessment questions, increase records management burden, and could compromise the security of significant sensitive information of sponsors, their households, and unaccompanied alien children. Operationally, such a transition would result in a significant delay for sponsor assessments and release and unification of unaccompanied alien children with their vetted family member. ACF therefore requests emergency approval by November 3, 2026, to support continued use of the online application, avoid processing delays, and maintain essential safeguards for children throughout the sponsorship and release process.
ACF requests OMBâs emergency review and approval of the digital sponsor application and corresponding revisions to the Authorization for Release of Information (Form SAP-2) and Sponsor Application (Form SAP-3), under OMB Control No. 0970-0278, as authorized under 5 CFR 1320.13. ACF requests approval as soon as possible and before November 30 to avoid substantial disruption to ORRâs sponsor intake and assessment process while meeting the courtâs minute order in Angelica S. v. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (Case No. 1:25-cv-01405).
On October 30, 2026, the court ordered that, if the online sponsorship application is not approved by OMB by November 30, 2026, the OMB-approved PDF version must be made available as the exclusive sponsorship application. Emergency approval would permit ORR to maintain its current online intake process while implementing aligned, OMB-approved digital and PDF instruments.
This information collection is essential to ACFâs and ORRâs responsibilities to protect the care, safety, and well-being of unaccompanied alien children and support their safe placement with suitable sponsors. Given the courtâs November 30, 2026, requirement, the use of normal clearance procedures under the Paperwork Reduction Act is reasonably likely to necessitate a transition to universal PDF intake, increasing government costs for manual processing, document handling, and records management.
Diverting staff from substantive sponsor assessments would necessarily delay safe placement decisions, prolong the time unaccompanied alien children remain in ORR custody in congregate care settings, and increase federal expenditures for their continued care. Prolonged stays in Federal custody and congregate care settings present significant child welfare concerns and litigation risk for ORR.
Requiring universal PDF intake would substantially change ORRâs current operations, increase handling of sensitive personal information outside the secure application system, and expand manual processing and records management work beyond available staffing resources.
Essential to Mission
This collection is essential to the agencyâs mission (as described in 5 CFR 1320.13(a)(1)(ii)) because Forms SAP-2 and SAP-3 are necessary for ACF and ORR to carry out their responsibilities for the care, safety, and well-being of children. These forms collect and document information ORR needs to assess prospective sponsors and determine whether a child can be safely released from federal custody. They support required sponsor suitability assessments while helping ORR avoid unnecessary delays in placing children with suitable sponsors.
The forms enable ORR to carry out its responsibilities under the Homeland Security Act, 6 U.S.C. Section 279, which assigns ORR responsibility for the care and placement of unaccompanied alien children and requires consideration of childrenâs interests in decisions concerning their care and custody.
US Code:
8 USC 1232
Name of Law: William Wilberforce Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act of 2008 (TVPRA)
PL:
Pub.L. 119 - 21 87001(b)(1)
Name of Law: One Big Beautiful Bill Act
PL:
Pub.L. 113 - 4 1101(c)
Name of Law: Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act of 2013
US Code:
6 USC 279
Name of Law: Homeland Security Act
On behalf of this Federal agency, I certify that the collection of information encompassed by this request complies with 5 CFR 1320.9 and the related provisions of 5 CFR 1320.8(b)(3).
The following is a summary of the topics, regarding the proposed collection of information, that the certification covers:
(i) Why the information is being collected;
(ii) Use of information;
(iii) Burden estimate;
(iv) Nature of response (voluntary, required for a benefit, or mandatory);
(v) Nature and extent of confidentiality; and
(vi) Need to display currently valid OMB control number;
If you are unable to certify compliance with any of these provisions, identify the item by leaving the box unchecked and explain the reason in the Supporting Statement.
DNA Testing Instructions (Form SAP-10)